Out at least a week The Rockets’ uncertain injury situation gained more clarity Tuesday, with forward Ron Artest ruled out for at least another seven to 10 days before his bone bruise in his right ankle will be re-evaluated. “There was a reason I was in some pain out there,” Artest said. “They showed some things when they took some bone scans and MRIs. Luckily, it’s nothing serious. I just need some rest. “Luckily, there is nothing torn, no surgery needed, nothing like that.” Artest has missed five of the past six games because of soreness related to his November ankle sprain. An MRI conducted Sunday revealed a bone bruise, but no stress fracture. Artest sprained his right ankle Nov. 16 but said he might have tweaked it again Jan. 2 in Toronto. Listed as day-to-day, he has played only one game since but developed the bone bruise on the other side of the ankle, possibly from compensating for the new pain. “I didn’t know what was wrong,” Artest said. “I was playing through it, but I was playing through it for so long. It didn’t get any better. I thought it was something worse. Luckily, it was something minor. I probably should have taken some time off when I first hurt it.” With Tracy McGrady and Artest out, the Rockets also lost Luther Head, who is listed as day-to-day with a sore right foot, leaving 10 healthy players. Prepare for a new chapter Vowing that when his season resumes it will “be a different story,” Rockets forward Tracy McGrady said Tuesday that his plan to go through his offseason conditioning regimen in the next two weeks would dramatically improve his play. “I think it’s a very important decision,” McGrady said. “It’s been a tough season, my toughest season. You anticipate the season coming off a disappointing playoffs, not having our big man, again exiting out of the first round. So you get those additions with Ron (Artest) and the other guys we added to this team. That anticipation builds up. “It wasn’t my normal offseason. It wasn’t my normal training camp. It’s been tough physically and mentally. I didn’t have the offseason I normally have to prepare for the season. “I tried to go out and play on one leg. This league is too good. Me trying to get our team off to a good start kind of hurt me a little bit and maybe put our team somewhat in a funk. “I’m going to bust my butt to try to get back.” Hurting, but not as much Though the Lakers played without Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton on Tuesday night, they could not lament their injury situation too much when considering the Rockets’. “It is amazing,” Kobe Bryant said. “To have so many injuries to key guys and still be in contention for the top spot in the West is pretty unbelievable.” Lakers coach Phil Jackson, however, said the Lakers would not feel any sympathy for the Rockets. “We came in last year during their streak and they were without Yao Ming and they gave us a licking,” Jackson said. “We’re aware of the fact they play hard and they are a good team. They play as a unit, and that’s real impressive.”